12/01/2010 @ 6:00AM

Digital Cameras For Photographers At All Levels

Digital cameras remain a popular holiday wish-list item, but there are almost as many cameras to choose from as there are ways to measure their performance. If someone on your gift-giving list is looking for a smart shooter this holiday season, but you don’t have the slightest clue where to begin your search, figure out what type of photographer he or she is and take a look below.

Casual Photographers

Casual shooters are folks who just want a camera to capture good times with friends and family. They only break out the camera for special occasions, so there’s no need for a fancy shooter, just an easy-to-use pocket camera for a reasonable price. Whether it’s taking shots for the family photo album or Facebook, or documenting your latest vacation, these cameras fit the bill.

The Panasonic FH20 is the best-rounded camera in its price bracket, sporting an 8x optical zoom lens, 720p HD video capability, snappy performance and solid image quality. The design is uninspiring, but it’s still small enough to comfortably fit into a pants pocket. For a more modern, streamlined take on the pocket-cam genre, take a look at the Nikon S4000, barely larger than a credit card and equipped with an intuitive touch-screen interface. Indoor and low-light image quality leaves a lot to be desired, but casual users will love the fun factor. And a Canon SD-series EPLH is always a great bet. The Canon SD1300 is as simple and streamlined as a sub-$200 point-and-shoot gets. The feature set is light, with an average 4x zoom and only standard-def video, but the performance, image quality, and reliability are tough to beat at the price.

Hobbyists like to shoot anything, anywhere, with any camera. Photography is just fun. Gear is a secondary concern, (leave the pixel-peeping to the enthusiasts), but a new camera with some extra power under the hood is always enticing.

A compact zoom (or travel zoom) camera is a good “step-up” camera for a budding hobbyist. They’re versatile cameras that combine rich feature sets, strong image quality and some manual control, which is the best way for hobbyists to grow as photographers. The Panasonic ZS5 is a great example of the genre. Powerful and pocketable, it packs a 12x optical zoom, 720p HD video, aperture and shutter priority modes, and crisp image quality. (Also take a look at the ZS7, with integrated GPS).

Extended zoom (or super zoom) cameras are also popular with hobbyists for their pro looks and enormous zoom ranges. The Panasonic FZ100 is this year’s premier super zoom. Its features make dSLR users jealous: 24x zoom, 11 frame-per-second burst shooting, and 1080i HD video. Image quality isn’t what you’d hope for at this price, but that’s an expected flaw with this type of camera.

Hobbyists who do want significantly better image quality, especially in challenging low-light situations like concerts, should take a look at the Canon S95. Its secret is the sensor, which is huge compared to sensors in all other ultra-compacts. It’s what makes the S95 popular with all types of photographers.

To feel like a real photographer, there’s no substitute for a digital single-lens reflex camera. Even an entry-level model like the Nikon D3100 is a serious shooter. A bit of experience is necessary (or at least a read-through of the manual), but performance, picture quality and control are unparalleled by any compact camera. The D3100 even shoots 1080p HD video with continuous autofocus, a feature normally reserved for high-end cameras. Like all dSLRs, it is an interchangeable-lens camera, so grab the “kit” configuration, which comes with a starter lens.

Enthusiasts

Enthusiasts are photography buffs that need to have the latest and greatest camera. They compare spec sheets, they pixel-peep, they troll message boards, and they already have tons and tons of equipment. As with an aficionado of any persuasion, it’s probably best to let them do the shopping themselves. But family and friends who feel brave and want to surprise an enthusiast with a big present, a cutting-edge camera will put a smile on his or her opinionated face.

Any enthusiast should already be familiar with the Canon G12, the latest iteration of Canon’s vaunted G series. This is one of the most advanced compact cameras available. The sensor is similar to the S95 above, but the 5x lens is more versatile and the interface is more pro-oriented. Its optical viewfinder is great for shooting in direct sunlight, too. This is the standard for compact cameras.

The Sony NEX-5 is a great camera for gadget lovers. It’s part of an emerging class known as mirrorless cameras: compact bodies with interchangeable lens mounts, stuffed with sensors almost big enough for a dSLR. The NEX-5 is one of the smallest, sleekest cameras in the mirrorless genre, built from a sturdy but streamlined magnesium alloy, rounded out with a touchscreen interface. It can’t autofocus as quickly as a dSLR, but that’s the tradeoff for its bring-anywhere design. Make sure to pick up a kit configuration, since old lenses don’t fit on the smaller mount.

And for those who really want to be on top of the newest trends, the latest sub-genre is single-lens translucent cameras. Sony is the only manufacturer that makes them at the moment, with the A55 at the top of the heap. It’s built around a translucent mirror (rather than a transparent one), so it can focus and shoot simultaneously for extra-fast performance, and it’s a bit smaller than an entry-level dSLR, too. Unlike the NEX series, it accepts Sony and Minolta A-mount lenses. This new design has hearts fluttering in the camera-nerd world.

Personal preferences are tough to predict, and sometimes a camera just won’t feel right in the hands of the giftee. So as always, ask for a gift receipt. Happy shopping.